Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet 1.4 TSI (DSG) Review: The hard or soft question

What we like:

Peugeot: made by the pioneers of the coupe cabriolet

useable rear seats

refined engine

security of a hardtop design. Volkswagen: Classy looks

efficient engine/gearbox combination

very quiet for a soft top design

stiff body

What we dislike:

Peugeot: Clumsy rear end styling

it’s a very heavy car

lacks dynamism Volkswagen: Lacks the security of a metal roof model

engine needs a more inspiring soundtrack

Inside, the 308CC shares its dashboard with the hatch as well as the RCZ, which is not a bad thing indeed as it is made from soft, high quality plastics and materials. Changes over the hatch’s interior include front seats with integrated head rests, white instruments as well as different door trims. The only change over pre-facelift models is limited to a new Bluetooth audio system.

The Golf Cabriolet too, shares its basic interior architecture with its hatchback sibling which means a logically laid out and highly adjustable driving environment as well as high levels of fit and finish that has won the Golf so many fans and owners in recent years.

The driving position in both cars are comfortable enough, with the manually adjustable seats being supportive and well-cushioned. At the rear, the 308CC offers marginally more knee room than in the more compact Golf. That said, there’s still enough space for two adults to be comfortable in even on long journeys in the Golf. Headroom with the roof up is better in the Golf and access to the rear of both cars is easy thanks to generously sized doors and front seats that tumble and slide forward.

An obvious advantage of the Golf’s soft top design over the Pug’s hardtop is that the former’s roof doesn’t eat into boot space when it is retracted. Inevitably, the Cabrio’s 250-litre boot isn’t as voluminous as the hatchback’s but the Golf Cabriolet offers additional 50/50 split/fold rear seat backs that coupe convertible models like the 308CC obviously won’t be able to incorporate. With the roof down, the 308CC’s boot area is not only miniscule when compared to the Volkswagen’s but also offer limited access due to the folded roof taking up space in the boot area.

Being the more sophisticated hardtop model means that the 308CC is slightly pricier than the all-rounded topless Golf. Despite its more affordable price tag though, in reality, the Golf Cabriolet doesn’t feel at all less sophisticated than the Peugeot here thanks to its well conceived canvas top design, rigid body and classy looks. The only disadvantage the soft top Golf has over the hardtop Pug is in the security department. The soft top Golf might just be the prove that the folding metal hardtop craze for convertibles has been surpassed by simpler canvas roof designs that give topless cars the style and looks they thoroughly deserve.

Credits: Story and photos by Raymond Lai